Tag Archives: 5 stars

Bodegas Palacios Remondo ‘Finca La Montesa’ 2018, Rioja DOCa, Spain

21 Tuesday Feb 2023

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When I think of Rioja I imagine dusty, leathery Tempranillo.  This bottle was different- Grenache based it was lighter colored in the glass and had aromas of blackcurrant, cherry and pepper with earthy notes.  Medium acid, body and tannins led into a slightly jammy palate of blackcurrant, dark raspberry, black cherry.  A medium finish to this semi-complex wine makes it a 91 pointer that gets 5 stars ’cause it only runs $15.  I would pair it with Filet Mignon or perhaps Veal on the charcoal.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Donnafugata Anthilia 2021, Sicily Italy

21 Tuesday Feb 2023

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I’ve been rather busy lately, studying for exams, attending blind tastings and conducting classes- so when the opportunity came up to drink a few bottles with friends I did just that.  We started out with this Catarratto from Sicily, which we tasted chilled and then at room temperature.  Pale gold colored it had awesome aromas of apricot, peach, yellow apple and citrus.  Crisp acidity and a medium (-) body made for a refreshing mouthfeel that was laced with grapefruit, lemon pith, melon, honeysuckle and stone fruit.  A decent finish made me award it 91 points.

The room temperature version had less citrus on the nose and more stone fruit.  We still got the apple, honeysuckle and some waxy notes.  The palate felt a bit heavier with less acidity and it was less complex overall.  90 points from me on this one.  It’s interesting how a wine morphs with temperature.  For $15 this many be on my short-list for summer patio pounders.  It is delicious, refreshing and will pair well with many lighter dishes.  I would drink it on purchase.  5 stars.  Salut….

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Notre Vin Clos Madeleine Pinot Noir 2013, Sonoma Coast, California

16 Thursday Feb 2023

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Pale garnet colored, this 9 year-old Pinot is showing signs of age and has medium viscosity legs (14.2% ABV) and a bit of haze (Unfined and unfiltered).  Pretty lofty aromas of baked cherry, strawberry pie and an earthy, mineral note dominate the nose but I get beautiful cola meets vanilla and cocoa powder.  Stunning.  The palate is dry with silky tannins and medium (+) acidity. Delicious flavors of baked and stewed red fruit with earthy funk and seasoned oak caress my mouth.  Vanilla cola really lights it up on the mid palate.  The finish is very svelte with remnants of cooked fruit and some floral notes.  A spectacular wine that get 93 points from me and for an estimated $90, 5 stars.  Drink till 2026.  I’m searing some Strip Steaks and some risotto to pair.  Salut….

Kruger Family Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Nieuwoudtville, South Africa

15 Wednesday Feb 2023

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Medium lemon colored with a watery sheen on the walls (13% ABV).  The nose has aromas of lemon, lanolin, melon, passion fruit and a hint of cut grass- not as intense as a Kiwi Sav Blanc.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and a medium (-) body.  The citrus kicks things off with lemon zest followed by tropical fruit notes.  The passion fruit is somewhat tart, reminding me of the shriveled fruit I ate growing up in East Africa.  Green melon is present, but the citrus dominates with the acidity getting more prominent on the back end.  The finish is decent in length but this wine seems a bit one-dimensional.  That’s not a bad thing mind you- sometimes its good to just have a refreshing white that isn’t going to overtax the senses.  It will do well with some fresh seafood or even a crisp salad with grilled chicken.  My actual pairing tonight is with a spicy Cajun Shrimp and Andouille dish- I think it will work.  I would also pound it poolside in the hot summer sun btw.  88 points from me for this $11 wine makes it a 5 star effort.  Drink now.  Salut….

Lustau Manzanilla Papirusa Solera Reserva NV, Jerez, Spain

09 Thursday Feb 2023

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Pale yellow/gold in color with a watery sheen in the glass.  The nose of this Manzanilla is refreshing- like citrus meets sea breeze and biscuit.  There is a slight nuttiness that intermingles with a yeast component after a while in the glass.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and a medium (-) body.  The citrus is neither lemon, nor lime or grapefruit, but it definitely has a citrus note alongside the nutty, yeasty, biscuit driven flavors that have evolved under the yeast blanket called Flor.  The wine finishes long with a salty note alongside the yeast.  This is not a flavor profile for everyone, it’s an acquired taste that begs for tapas, olives or some charcuterie.  I can see why it is so popular in Southwestern Spain by the coast.  I’m drinking it at room temperature, as I normally do when scoring, but it deserves a chilling to freshen it up a touch.  I like it and will go with 91 points.  This 5 star wine runs $18 and should be drunk on purchase.  For tonight, I am will attempt a pairing of shrimp scampi and sautéed zucchini strips with a shredded carrot salad. I think the buttery, garlicky seafood will meld nicely.  This Palomino varietal has been fortified to 15% ABV.  Salut….

Cosentino Winery Reserve Selection Pinot Noir 2011, Sonoma Coast, California

07 Tuesday Feb 2023

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Pale garnet colored with a watery sheen in the glass, to be expected from an 11 year old wine.  The nose is surprisingly youthful with red cherry, strawberry and red currants that eventually blow off to reveal tertiary aromas of dank forest floor, mushroom, caramel, chocolate and wet wood.  The palate is dry with low tannins- barely perceptible in fact and medium acidity.  Super sleek mouthfeel with a medium body and flavors of chocolate covered strawberry with baked red cherry pie followed by some earthy forest with wild mushrooms and dank wood.  It’s very peculiar and exciting.  The soft finish runs for a while and I get flat cherry cola with earth on the back end.  I wrote about this wine nearly five years ago, it’s interesting to read that post.  

I will have to agree with my original assessment- the wine was at peak a few years ago, but here’s the rub.  It has matured beyond my wildest dreams and has really plateaud as a mature wine and has withstood time to allow tertiary development without losing balance.  It is super smooth, delicious and has rewarded my cellaring.  I paid $15 per bottle back in the day.  I am sticking with 92 points and 5 stars.  Excellent effort.  Salut….

Cooper’s Hawk Cab/Zin NV, America

06 Monday Feb 2023

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Medium ruby colored with thin, speedy legs in the glass (13.5% ABV).  The nose of this blend shouts Zinfandel before I get Cabernet Sauvignon.  Interesting as the mix favors Cab by 60/40.  Ripe black plum with black cherry, bramble, smoke, coffee and crushed stone.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins.  Full bodied, this wine coats my mouth with dark, very ripe fruit and some interesting smoky, resinous notes.  Minerality is slight but there is a definite earthiness to this big wine.  The finish is medium in length and I get really nice black berry notes with some cocoa.  The tannins slide away nicely leaving ripe fruit.  I like it for what it is- an atypical blend of non-vintage wine that runs $25- probably one of my favorite wines from Cooper’s Hawk.  It gets 90 points from me and 5 stars.  Hard to give a drink-by window for an NV wine, but it’s ready to go now and will cellar for a year or three.  I’m pairing with burgers on the grill, but some stews or smoked meats would also do the trick.  (My guess is California Zinfandel with a mix of Cab from Washington and Cali) Salut….

Robert Oatley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia

30 Monday Jan 2023

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Deep ruby with a touch of turbidity and some flecks of garnet in this 5 year old Cabernet from the western coast of Australia.  The nose has very precise, sharp aromas of black plum, blackberry, cassis, eucalyptus, coffee, mint, mocha and vanilla.  Very oak-driven aromas but it is hedonistic and I am looking forward to taste.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins, a full body and delicious flavors of ripe fruit and oak influence.  Blackberry, dark plums and coffee dominate.  Espresso to be more precise.  Eucalyptus is pretty evident as is the mint component.  The finish on this wine is medium in length and very fruity, making me realize that the tannins have really integrated already, ergo a very pleasant mouthfeel.  I like this wine a bunch and will be pairing it with Strip steaks off the charcoal.  One review went as high as 95….. I am more in the 93 camp, but 5 stars for sure as you can pick this up for $17, making it a terrific deal.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Geil 1760 Gewurtztraminer Kabinett 2021, Rheinessen, Germany

25 Wednesday Jan 2023

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Pale to medium lemon/lime colored with a watery sheen (8.5% ABV!).  The nose is intensely aromatic with rose water, apricots, ginger snaps, grass, honeysuckle, curry powder (yup, curry powder), lychees and crushed stone.  The palate is off-dry as expected but has medium acidity and hint of bitterness.  I feel the body is quite full, as the wine coats my palate but the low alcohol defies that logic.  The fruity, aromatic, perfumed flavors echo the nose with emphasis on ginger and lychees.  The finish is quite long, the perfume just lingers on the palate.  It’s a delicious wine and I picked it to pair with spicy tacos- I think the level of sugar, acidity and big aromatic qualities will do well in the combination.  I am thinking 91 points for this $20 wine, making it a 5 star effort.  I can see myself loading up on this low alcohol, slightly sweet wine that will pour easily all summer long and pairing it with all manner of lighter fare- even some spicy dishes like mine.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….

Michel Rolland and Javier Galarreta Clos d’En Ferran’ 2017, Priorat DOCa, Spain

24 Tuesday Jan 2023

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Inky purple in the glass this blend of 62% Carinyena & 38% Garnacha has got slow moving legs (14.5% ABV).  The nose is stunning.  Intense aromas of toffee, coffee, and chocolate interlaced with ripe blueberry, blackberry, plums, black cherry, mint and cassis- there is a decadent richness about this wine that I get right off the bat.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins that are fine-grained.  Flavors of dark, bold fruits with loads of French oak nuance make for a delicious flavor profile.  Whilst the nose is driven by the toffee/coffee etc, the palate is opposite.  Layers of ripe fruit are now in charge, followed by the toffee, caramel, mint and medicinal notes from the barrels.  The finish is long and soft.  Stunning stuff that got up to 96 points from the pros.  I would have to agree.  The aging capacity of this well structured, full bodied wine is good, say till 2035.  You can find it for under $40 making it a monster 5 star effort.  I’m simmering a pot of rich, hearty goat stew with some creamy truffle infused acorn squash pureé.  Can’t wait.  Salut….